If your puppy is sick
Maryland law protects people who buy dogs from retail pet stores.
What you can ask for
- Return the puppy for a full refund
- An exchange
- Keep it and be reimbursed for vet fees, up to the purchase price
Minimum age to sell a puppy
In Maryland a puppy must be at least 8 weeks unless it is with its mother old to be sold.
Federal Animal Welfare Act rules (9 C.F.R. § 2.130) bar licensed dealers from shipping puppies under 8 weeks old that are not weaned, in every state.
What to do if you bought a sick puppy
- Take the puppy to a veterinarian right away and ask for the diagnosis in writing, within 14 days of the sale.
- Tell the seller in writing, with a copy of the veterinarian's statement, and keep proof that you sent it.
- Choose what you want: a refund, an exchange or keeping the puppy with the vet costs paid, as far as the law allows.
- Keep everything: the contract, the ad, messages, receipts and vet records.
- If the seller refuses, contact the consumer protection office of the Maryland attorney general or file in small claims court.
Buying a puppy in Maryland
We list 148 dog breeders in Maryland, with phone, website, public reviews and a map.
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Laws change and have exceptions: read the statute or ask the consumer protection office of your state attorney general before you act.
Summary based on the state statutes as listed by the Animal Legal & Historical Center of Michigan State University College of Law (purchaser protection laws as of 2023, minimum sale age as of 2025).
Questions
Does Maryland have a puppy lemon law?
Yes. Maryland law (Md. Code, Business Regulation § 19-705) protects people who buy dogs from retail pet stores. You have 14 days after the sale to have a veterinarian certify an illness, and 180 days for a congenital or hereditary defect.
How long do I have to return a sick puppy in Maryland?
14 days from the sale for an illness or disease, and 180 days for a congenital or hereditary defect. A veterinarian has to examine the puppy and put the problem in writing within that time, and the law only covers sales by retail pet stores.
How old does a puppy have to be to be sold in Maryland?
At least 8 weeks unless it is with its mother. The rule applies to any person (Md. Code, Criminal Law § 10-613).
Does the Maryland lemon law cover private breeders?
It covers retail pet stores. A small hobby breeder may fall outside it, so ask for a written contract with a health guarantee whoever you buy from.